The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 29: TO THE FACTORS AT SURAT. May 22, 1617.
The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe (Foster) 29
- Language
- English
TO THE FACTORS AT SURAT. May 22, 1617.
29.1
Vpon your last Complaynt sent vp in Persian and my deliuery to the King, his Maiestie wrote a lettre to the Prince not many dayes past (for I procured Aganor to mooue it anew) as full of fauour as I could desire, Commanding vs to bee vsed in all sorts as respectiuely as his owne subiectes: that wee came only to see him and his Cuntrie, and therefore hee would not endure any wrong to bee offered to vs. Hee tooke particular notice of your restraynt in victualles, and Customes for victualles, and the detention of the Presents and the sealing them, to bee directed to the Prince, and many other Circumstances. Besides, hee gaue order to Asaph-chan to write 4 lettres to fower of the Princes officers by name, to take knowledg of the Complaynt made against them and to signefie at lardg his Maiesties Pleasure and what himself had written the Prince. These lettres Aganor voweth hee saw written and read them, and sayth they are sent away, but I feare Asaphchan did only blind vs both, though the other vowe fayre Play, and that the King would bee extreame angery at any fraud after his order, because they Came not to my handes. I desier you to make all enquiery what lettres or firmaens came lately to any in Suratt concerning vs; for if our great solicitor haue fayled, I will not faile to make the King vnderstand yt. I am Confident his desire is now to satisfye vs, and I would not lett it coole.
29.2
The last newes that came to this Court from Persia is not good for vs. The Shabas, sending Part of his Armie to entercept a Convoy of the Turkes, was betrayd by one of his owne Captaines and Cutt to Peices 12,000 of his Choyse Guardes, wherby the Turkes Armie aduanced into the feild toward Tawris, and the Shabas, not able to abyde him, razed it and desmantled it wholy, and, wasting the Cuntrie about, keepes the strengthes of the hilles. The truth of newes that Comes soe farr is doubtfull; but the King receiued it from the Gouernors of his borders. . . . [May] 25. — A Lion and a Woolfe vsed my house and nightly put vs in alarume, fetching away Sheepe and Goats out of my Court, and leaping a high wall with them. I sent to aske leaue to kill it, for that no man may meddle with Lions but the King, and it was granted. I ranne out into the Court vpon the noyse, and the beast, missing his prey, seized on a little Island Dogge before me, that I had long kept. But the Woolfe one of my Seruants killed, and I sent it the King.
29.3
June 14. — Certaine goods of the Iesuites were sent from Cambaya in a Cabinet, Phisicke and necessaries and a Letter, which were betrayed by the bringer, and deliuered the King; which he opened and sent for the Padre to reade the Letter, and to see all in the Boxes, of which nothing liking him, he returned all; which I obserue as a warning to all that deale in this Kingdome, to bee wary of what they write or send; for such is the custome and humour of the King, that he will seize and see all, lest any Toy should escape his appetite.
29.4
[June] 18. — I receiued Letters from Amadauar of the Hope of the fall of Indico, by the failing of the Goa Caffila and that there was plentie to be bought, but deare: That the Vnicornes Horne was returned as without vertue, concerning which I gaue him new aduice: many complaints against Surat and others, which I meddle not with. I receiued from Brampoore two Letters, how doubtfull the Debt of Ralph stood, and newes of the returne of Spragge from the Leskar of Decan. The Generall Melickamber, with much shew of honour, gaue instant order for priuie search in all his Campe for the Persian fled, and by me remanded; but finding him departed to Vizeapoore by testimony, that businesse was pursued no further, but by a Letter to a Dutch there resident. The Generall desired Spragge to be a meanes to bring him English cloth and swords to his Campe for the supply of his Souldiers, which lye within sixe dayes of Brampoore. In my opinion, that had beene a good employment of some idle men and a way to vent our dead commodities.
29.5
July 30. — I receiued from Surat of the casting away of two Dutch ships on the Coast of Damon, that, hauing come from the Southward with Spices and China Silkes, were bound for the Red Sea, but, losing their season with much extremitie of weather, beating many weekes about the entrance for harbour, attempted the like at Socatra and vpon the Coast of Arabia, but being not able to get in anyway, they resolued for Surat, hoping by the last yeares good successe to be able to ride safely; but the yeares differ, and beeing forced to anchor in extremitie their greater ship cut her Masts by boord, and after, her Cables breaking, shee went ashore vpon the Coast, Ozie ground within Musket shot The ship kept vpright, but hauing lost their long Boat, and their Skiffe not able to liue, by rafters foure men got ashoare, and the Tydes heauing her in vpon the Spring, they saued much goods and all their people. Her Pinnasse of sixtie Tunne was beaten to pieces. August 21.—The King of Candahor came to visit me and brought wine and fruit, sate halfe an houre, and for one Iest of his begged a bottle of wine.
29.6
The Prince Sultan Corseroone had his first day of hoped libertie, and came to take ayre and pleasure at the Banquetting house by me. The Prince at Brampoore had made a Marriage without the Kings consent, and gotten displeasure; besides, some practice of his was discouered against his Brothers life, but this as a secret. He was called for to Court. Normahal and Asaph Chan by their Fathers aduice, came about to make a peace with Corsoroone and Alliance, and with infinite ioy his libertie is expected. [August] 22. — The King feasted at Asaph Chans. I receiued from Aleppo and Persia passages of the Warre, the Turkes retrait, but no word of our English, only that the Captaine of Grinins had written to practise their disgrace.